Single spring device for automatically latching and unlatching a container to and from a railway car or the like

ABSTRACT

The fittings at the corners of a container are automatically latched to a railway car when it is lowered thereon and unlatched therefrom when the container is lifted from transport position. Each fitting is received in a housing on the car on which a bellcrank latch is mounted to pivot about a pair of spaced axes under the biasing action of a coil compression spring reacting between the housing and the distal end of one arm of the latch. The distal end of the other arm of the latch has latching engagement with the respective container fitting. The housings are slidable along slots extending lengthwise along opposite sides of the car and can be swung to retracted positions on trunnions extending below the floor or deck of the car. The trunnions are located in spaced relation to the latches to cause them to maintain latching engagement with the container on upward movement of it during transport. The retracted housings are arranged to be bypassed by other housings slidable along the slots.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Theodore J. Sweger Naperville, Ill. [21] Appl. No. 886,489 [22] Filed Dec. 19, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 19,71 [73] Assignee Illinois Railway Equipment Company Chicago. 111.

[541 SINGLE SPRING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY LATCHING AND UNLATCHING A CONTAINER TO AND FROM A RAILWAY CAR OR THE LIKE l4 Claim, 10 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.8. CI. 105/366 C, 105/366 D, 248/119 R, 248/361 H [51] Int. CL B6ld45/00 [50] Field ofSearch 105/366 C, 366 D; 248/1 19 R, 361 A; 296/351 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.168.876 2/1965 Clejan 105/366 D 3,417,712 12/1968 Pulcrano et al IDS/366D Primary Examiner-Drayton Hoffman Attorney-Robert R, Lockwood ABSTRACT: The fittings at the comers of a container are automatically latched to a railway car when it is lowered thereon and unlatched therefrom when the container is lifted from transport position. Each fitting is received in a housing on the car on which a bellcrank latch is mounted to pivot about a pair of spaced axes under the biasing action of a coil compression spring reacting between the housing and the distal end of one am of the latch. The distal end of the other arm of the latch has latching engagement with the respective container fitting. The housings are slidable along slots extending lengthwise along opposite sides of the car and can be swung to retracted positions on trunnions extending below the floor or deck of the car. The trunnions are located in spaced relation to the latches to cause them to maintain latching engagement with the container on upward movement of it during transport. The retracted housings are arranged to be bypassed by other housings slidable along the slots.

' i 'll SHEET 2 OF 7 PATENTED SEH 4 m PATENTEU SEPI 419m SHEET 3 0F 7 PATENTEU SEFI 415m 3.604.364

sum 5 OF 7 SINGLE SPRING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY LATCI-IING AND UNLATCI'IING A CONTAINER TO AND FROM A RAILWAY CAR OR THE LIKE This invention is an improvement over the constructions disclosed in Sweger U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 725,363, filed Apr. 30, 1968.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide in a new and improved manner for automatically latching a container to a railway car or the like when the container is lowered thereon and unlatching it therefrom when the con tainer is lifted from transport position; for this purpose to mount a bellcrank latch in a housing for movement about two axes under the biasing action of a single spring with the distal end of one arm of the latch arranged to have latching engagement with a container fitting and the spring reacting against the distal end of the other arm of the latch; to employ a pin and slot construction at the junction of the arms of the bellcrank latch for one axis and a trunnion and bearing seat construction adjacent the distal end of the other arm of the latch for the other axis; to permit displacement of the trunnion from the bearing seat when the container is lifted from the railway car; to provide longitudinal slots along opposite sides of the railway car having transversely communicating openings into which the housings can be retracted about trunnions depending from the housings and underlying the floor of the car; to locate the depending trunnions relative to the respective latches to maintain latching engagement with the respective container fittings on upward movement of the container during transport; and to arrange for bypassing of retracted housings by upright housings when moved along the slots.

According to this invention a railway car is provided with lengthwise extending slots along opposite sides with transverse openings communicating therewith and notches in spaced relation therealong. Housings for receiving container comer fittings have depending trunnions extending across the slots to secure the housings to the car and to permit pivoting of the housings to retracted positions in the transverse openings. Shear lugs depend from the housings to enter the notches for locating the housings on the floor of the car according to the size of the containers. A bellcrank latch is mounted for movement about two axes on each housing to permit latching engagement and disengagement of the distal end of one arm with a comer fitting on the container. For one of the axes a pin and slot construction is provided at the junction between the arms of the latch. The other axis is provided by a trunnion and bearing seat near the distal end of the other arm of the latch against the distal end of which a coil compression spring in the housing reacts. The bearing seat is open to permit displacement of the trunnion therefrom and stressing of the spring through a relatively great extent when the container is lifted causing unlatching movement of the latch. When the container is lowered onto the railway car, the latch is pivoted about the bearing seat accompanied by stressing of the spring through a relatively small extent. The depending trunnions are spaced from the respective latches to maintain latching engagement with the respective container fitting on upward movement of the container during transport. In the retracted position of the housing, the trunnion about which it pivots to and from the retracted position is guided by a stirrup depending from the floor or deck of the railway car. To permit bypassing of the retracted housing and particularly of the shear lug extending therefrom, the transverse openings into which the housings are retracted are positioned such that the trunnions of the upright housings can bypass the shear lugs of the retracted housings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the deck or floor of a railway car adapted to receive the container latching device in which the present invention is embodied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, at an enlarged scale, of a corner fitting which is typical of the corner fittings that are located at each of the four bottom comers of containers adapted to be transported by the railway car.

FIG. 3 is a view, in side elevation, certain parts being broken away to show details of construction, of container locking means for one of the comer fittings of the container.

FIG. 4 is a view of the container locking means, looking from right to left of FIG. 3, and showing how it is mounted on the floor or deck of a railway car, the latter being shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the container locking means shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 5 and shows the manner in which the latch is displaced when the container is lowered into transport position.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the manner in which the latch is displaced when the container is lifted from transport position.

FIG. 9 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, showing how the container locking means is pivoted toward the retracted position.

FIG. 10 is a view, similar to FIG. 9, showing how the container locking means is positioned in the retracted position to permit upright container locking means to bypass the retracted devices.

In FIG. 1 the reference character 10 designates, generally, a portion of a transport carrier, such as a railway car having a floor or deck 11 which may be formed of steel plate. The floor or deck 1 1 is provided with lengthwise extending slots 12 having notches 14 at various positions therealong the purpose of which will be apparent presently. Slidably mounted along the slots 12 are container locking means each of which is indicated at 15. The container locking means 15 are of identical construction except for left and right arrangements as will be understood readily. Four of the container locking means 15 are arranged to receive a rectangular container that is indicated in broken line outline at 16. It will be understood that a number of containers 16 are arranged to be carried by the transport carrier 10 and that, while each has the same width, they may vary in length.

At each of the four lower corners of the rectangular container 16 there is provided a hollow bottom container fitting that is indicated, generally, at 17 in FIG. 2. The container fitting 17 has a vertical slot or latch receiving opening 18 in one sidewall 19 that faces outwardly of the container 16. The fitting also includes another sidewall 20 in which a circular opening 21 is located. The walls 19 and 20 are connected by a bottom wall 22 in which a slot 23 is located. As will appear hereinafter provision is made for latching engagement with the container fitting 17 by employing the vertical slot or latch receiving opening 18.

In FIGS. 3-6 the details of construction of the container locking means 15 are shown. Each container locking means 15 includes a housing that is indicated, generally, at 26 and may comprise a malleable iron casting. The housing 26 has vertical walls 27 and 28 that are located at right angles to each other and are arranged to overlie the vertical walls 19 and 20 of the container fitting 17 when the container 16 is lowered to transport position. To facilitate entry of the respective container fitting 17 the upper ends of the vertical walls 27 and 28 are inclined as indicated at 27' and 28' respectively. In the retracted positions of the housings 26 the vertical wall 27 overlies the transverse opening 13. In order to facilitate removal of the container locking means 15 from the retracted position a slot 29 is provided in the wall 27 for receiving a suitable tool, such as a hook. A floor 30 is formed integrally with the vertical walls 27 and 28 and extends horizontally therefrom for receiving the bottom wall 22 of the respective container fitting 17. The wall 31 opposite the wall 27 has a lower wall section 32 that is arranged to extend through one of the slots 12 in the floor or deck 11. At its lower end the wall section 32 has a trunnion 33 formed integrally therewith which is provided with wings 34 and 35 that extend underneath the edge portions of the floor or deck 11 forming the slot 12. In this manner each of the container locking means is secured inseparably to the floor or deck 11. For preventing movement of each of the housings 26 relative to the floor or deck 1 1 in the upright position each of them is provided with a depending integrally formed shear lug 36 which is arranged to enter one of the notches 14 depending upon the position of the container locking means 15. As shown in FIG. 1 only a single notch 14 is provided for each of the container locking means 15 at the extreme end of the floor or deck 11 since, ordinarily, they are located here with the adjustment for different lengths of rectangular container 16 being taken care of by the next set of container locking means 15. It is for this purpose that the notches 14 are variously spaced along the slots 12.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 further details of construction of the container locking means 15 are shown. Each of the housings 26 is provided with latch means that is indicated, generally, at 40. The latch means is in the form of a bellcrank and includes an upper arm 41 and lower arm 42. The latch means 40 is movable in a slot 43 that extends transversely of the wall 27. At the junction between the arms 41 and 42 the latch means 40 is pivotally and translatorily mounted by pin and slot means, indicated, generally, at 44. The pin and slot means 44 includes a pin or bolt 45 that extends through a pair of inner walls 46 and 47, FIG. 6, which extend forwardly from the sidewall 27. The pin or bolt 45 extends through an arcuate slot 48 the center of curvature of which is indicated at 49, this being one of the axes about which the latch means 40 is movable. Adjacent the distal end of the lower arm 42 this arm is provided with oppositely extending trunnions through the center of which the axis 49 extends. The trunnions 50 are journaled in open bearing seats 51 that are provided on the lower portions of the inner walls 46 and 47. These seats 51 provide a fulcrum for the trunnions 50.

The latch means 40 is biased into latching engagement with the respective container fitting 17 by a coil compression spring 54 that reacts between an inclined inner face 55 of the wall 31 and a spring fitting 56 which has a pair of spaced slots 57 for receiving oppositely extending trunnions 58 which are located on opposite sides of the distal end of the lower arm 42.

At its distal end the upper arm 41 of the latch means 40 has an integrally formed nose 59 on the upper side of which there is an inclined striker surface 60. The nose 59 has a horizontal undersurface 61 that is located generally parallel to the floor 30 when the latch means 40 is in the latched position shown in FIG. 4. The latch means 40 also occupies the position shown here in the absence of the container fitting 17.

Referring to FIG. 7, when the container 16 is lowered into transport position it and the respective container fitting 17 move downwardly as indicated by arrow 64. The lower corner 65 of the container fitting 17 engages the inclined striker surface 60 and displaces the latch means 40 in a counterclockwise direction indicated by arrow 66. This displacement takes place about axis 49 and is permitted by the arcuate slot 48. The distal end of the lower arm 42 is moved through a relatively slight distance to compress the spring 54 through a relatively short distance that is indicated at 67. As soon as the lower end surface 68 of the latch receiving opening 18 passes below the outer end of the undersurface 61 of the nose 59, the latch means 40 is promptly pivoted about axis 49 by the spring 54 to the latching position shown in FIG. 4. Here the horizontal undersurface 61 of the nose 59 overlies the lower end surface 68 of the latch receiving opening 18 and thus prevents upward movement of the respective container fitting 17 except as described presently. The latch means 40 is limited in its movement toward the latching position on engagement of one end 69 of the arcuate slot 48 with the pin or bolt 45. Also this movement is limited by engagement of the intermediate portion of the upper arm 41 with a shoulder 70 on the housing 26.

The lengths of the 'arms 41 and 42 of the latch means 40 and the strength of the coil compression spring 54 are such that upward movement of the respective container fitting 17 and thereby of the container 16 is prevented during transport. However, when sufficient force is applied to the container 16 to lift it from the transport position the latch means 40 is moved automatically to the unlatches position. This is shown in FIG. 8 where the upward movement is indicated by arrow 73. When this occurs the lower end surface 68 of the latch receiving opening 18 engages the horizontal undersurface 61 of the nose 59. The direction of application of force is such as to cause the latch means 40 to pivot in the direction indicated by arrow 74 about an axis 75 through the pin or bolt 45. This is accompanied by lifting of the trunnions 50 from engagement with the open bearing seats 51 and compression of the spring 54 through a relatively great distance as indicated at 76 in FIG. 8. This action can take place only when sufficient force is applied to lift the container 16 from the transport position. Otherwise, the spring 54 is sufficiently strong to hold the latch means 40 in the latching position shown in FIG. 4, and is capable of resisting all forces likely to be encountered during transport.

It will be observed that the trunnion 33 which extends below the slot 12 in the floor or deck 1 1 is positioned on the opposite side of the housing 26 from the latch means 40. Because of this arrangement, when the container fitting 17 moves upwardly during transport and the horizontal undersurface 61 engages the lower end surface 68 of the latch receiving opening 18, there is a tendency for the container locking means 15 to be pivoted about the trunnion 33 and inwardly of the container 16. As a result the action is to move the latch means 40 further toward latching engagement with the container fitting 17 or to maintain it in latching engagement therewith.

FIG. 9 shows an intermediate position of the housing 26 when the container locking means 15 is being moved between the upright position and the retracted position. Here it will be observed that the housing 26 is shown with the shear lug 36 out of the adjacent notch 14 and pivoted about the trunnion 33 toward the retracted position in one of the transverse openings 13. The trunnion 33 is guided in its downward movement to the retracted position by a stirrup 79 that is suitably mounted from the underside of the floor or deck 11. In the fully retracted position shown in FIG. 9 by broken lines the vertical wall 27 is horizontal and overlies the respective opening 13. In the construction here shown the position of the shear lug 36 in the retracted position of the container locking means 15 interferes with the movement of another container locking means 15 along the slot 12.

The construction shown in FIG. 10 can be employed when it is desired to permit bypassing of a retracted container locking means 15. Here it will be observed that the transverse opening 13 is located sufficiently far from the slot 12 to permit the shear lug 36 of the retracted container locking means 15 to be bypassed by the trunnion 33 of the upright container locking means 15 which may of necessity be required in order to accommodate different lengths of containers 16.

I claim:

1. Container securing means for a transport carrier arranged to secure thereto one or more containers each having at least one bottom container fitting with a latch receiving opening in a wall thereof, said securing means comprising:

housing means for attachment to said transport carrier for underlying each bottom container fitting,

latch means in the form of a bellcrank having the distal end of one arm for entering said opening in said wall of said container fitting,

means on said housing means for supporting said latch means to pivot about one axis at the junction between the arms of said latch means and another axis spaced from the distal end of the other arm of said latch means, and spring means reacting between said housing means and said distal end of said other arm of said latch means at a location therealong spaced from said one axis a greater distance than said other axis is spaced from said one axis and characterized by permitting displacement of said distal end of said one arm of said latch means about said other axis out of the path of said container fitting in moving toward said housing means and biasing said distal end of said one arm of said latch means into latching position in said opening in said fitting, said spring means being further characterized by being capable of holding said latch means in said latching position until sufficient force is applied to lift said container from said transport carrier whereupon said distal end of said one arm of said means is pivoted about said one axis out of said latching position.

2. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein:

said other axis extends through trunnion means on said other arm of said latch means, and

bearing seat means on said housing means has said trunnion means journaled thereon.

3. Container securing means according to claim 2 wherein:

said one axis extends through pin means on said housing means,

said latch means has a slot through which said pin means extends, and

said bearing seat means is open to permit displacement of said trunnion means therefrom when said container is lifted from said transport carrier.

4. Container securing means according to claim 3 wherein the relation between said axes is characterized by said spring means being stressed through a relatively small extent when said container fitting is moved into engagement with said distal end of said one arm and being stressed through a relatively great extent when said container fitting is moved out of latching engagement with said distal end of said one arm.

5. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein:

said transport carrier has a lengthwise extending slot in the floor thereof communicating with a transversely extending opening,

said housing means has a depending wall section for projecting through said slot and movement therealong to different positions to accommodate different lengths of containers, and

said wall section terminates in trunnion means extending across said slot to attach said housing means to said transport carrier and to permit pivoting of said housing means into said opening in said floor to retracted position below the surface thereof.

6. Container securing means according to claim 5 wherein said wall section and said trunnion means are spaced from said distal end of said one arm to permit said housing means to pivot in a direction to maintain the latching engagement of said latch means with said bottom container fitting when said container is moved upwardly during transport.

7. Container securing means according to claim 5 wherein:

said lengthwise extending slot has notches therealong, shear lug means depends from said housing means for insertion in one of said notches to locate said housing means at a predetermined position along said slot, and

said shear lug means in the retracted position of said housing means being located out of the path of trunnion means of another housing means slidable along said slot.

8. Container securing means for a transport carrier arranged to secure thereto one or more containers each having at least one bottom container fitting with a latch receiving opening in a wall thereof, said container securing means comprising:

housing means for attachment to said transport carrier for underlying each bottom container fitting,

latch means in the form of a bellcrank having the distal end of one arm for entering said opening in said wall of said container fitting,

pin and slot means on said housing means and at the junc-- tion between the arms of said latch means pivotally and translatorily mounting said latch means on said housing means, fulcrum means on said housing means spaced from the distal end of the other arm of said latch means pivotally supporting said other arm, and

spring means reacting between said housings means and the distal end of said other arm of said latch means at a location therealong spaced from said pin and slot means at a greater distance than said fulcrum means is spaced from said pin and slot means and biasing said latch means to hold said pin and slot means at one end position and being characterized by permitting displacement of said distal end of said one arm of said latch means out of the path of said container fitting in moving toward said housing means and movement of said pin and slot means away from said one position while pivoting about said fulcrum means and biasing said distal end of said one arm of said latch means about said fulcrum means into latching position in said opening in said fitting, said spring means being further characterized by being capable of holding said latch means in said latching position about said fulcrum means until sufficient force is applied to lift said container from said transport carrier whereupon said latch means is pivoted about said pin and is moved out of said latching position.

9. Container securing means according to claim 8 wherein:

said fulcrum means comprises bearing seat means on said housing means, and

trunnion means on said other arm of said latch means is journaled in said bearing seat means.

10. Container securing means according to claim 9 wherein said bearing seat means is open to permit displacement of said trunnion means therefrom when said container is lifted from said transport carrier.

11. Container securing means according to claim 10 wherein the relation between said pin and slot means and said fulcrum means is characterized by said spring means being stressed through a relatively small extent when said container fitting is moved into engagement with said distal end of said one arm and being stressed through a relatively great extent when said container fitting is moved out of latching engagement with said distal end of said one arm.

12. Container securing means according to claim 8 wherein:

said transport carrier has a lengthwise extending slot in the floor thereof communicating with a transversely extending opening,

said housing means has a depending wall section for projecting through said slot and movement therealong to different positions to accommodate different lengths of containers, and said wall section terminates in trunnion means extending across said slot to attach said housing means to said transport carrier and to permit pivoting of said housing means into said opening in said floor to retracted position below the surface thereof. 13. Container securing means according to claim 12 wherein said wall section and said trunnion means are spaced from said distal end of said one arm to permit said housing means to pivot in a direction to maintain the latching engagement of said latch means with said bottom container fitting when said container is moved upwardly during transport.

14. Container securing means according to claim 12 wherein:

said lengthwise extending slot has notches therealong, shear lug means depends from said housing means for insertion in one of said notches to locate said housing means at a predetermined position along said slot, and

said shear lug means in the retracted position of said housing means being located out of the path of trunnion means of another housing means slidable along said slot. 

1. Container securing means for a transport carrier arranged to secure thereto one or more containers each having at least one bottom container fitting with a latch receiving opening in a wall thereof, said securing means comprising: housing means for attachment to said transport carrier for underlying each bottom container fitting, latch means in the form of a bellcrank having the distal end of one arm for entering said opening in said wall of said container fitting, means on said housing means for supporting said latch means to pivot about one axis at the junction between the arms of said latch means and another axis spaced from the distal end of the other arm of said latch means, and spring means reacting between said housing means and said distal end of said other arm of said latch means at a location therealong spaced from said one axis a greater distance than said other axis is spaced from said one axis and characterized by permitting displacement of said distal end of said one arm of said latch means about said other axis out of the path of said container fitting in moving toward said housing means and biasing said distal end of said one arm of said latch means into latching position in said opening in said fitting, said spring means being further characterized by being capable of holding said latch means in said latching position until sufficient force is applied to lift said container from said transport carrier whereupon said distal end of said one arm of said means is pivoted about said one axis out of said latching position.
 2. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein: said other axis extends through trunnion means on said other arm of said latch means, and bearing seat means on said housing means has said trunnion means journaled thereon.
 3. Container securing means according to claim 2 wherein: said one axis extends through pin means on said housing means, said latch means has a slot through which said pin means extends, and said bearing seat means is open to permit displacement of said trunnion means therefrom when said container is lifted from said transport carrier.
 4. Container securing means according to claim 3 wherein the relation between said axes is characterized by said spring means being stressed through a relatively small extent when said container fitting is moved into engagement with said distal end of said one arm and being stressed through a relatively great extent when said container fitting is moved out of latching engagement with said distal end of said one arm.
 5. Container securing means according to claim 1 wherein: said transport carrier has a lengthwise extending slot in the floor thereof communicating with a transversely extending opening, said housing means has a depending wall section for projecting through said slot and movement therealong to different positions to accommodate different lengths of containers, and said wall section terminates in trunnion means extending across said slot to attach said housing means to said transport carrier and to permit pivoting of said housing means into said opening in said floor to retracted position below the surface thereof.
 6. Container securing means according to claim 5 wherein said wall section and said trunnion means are spaced from said distal end of said one arm to permit said housing means to pivot in a direction to maintain the latching engagement of said latch means with said bottom container fitting when said container is moved upwardly during transport.
 7. Container securing means according to claim 5 wherein: said lengthwise extending slot has notches therealong, shear lug means depends from said housing means for insertion in one of said notches to locate said housing means at a predetermined position along said slot, and said shear lug means in the retracted position of said housing means being located out of the path of trunnion means of another housing means slidable along said slot.
 8. Container securing means for a transport carrier arranged to secure thereto one or more containers each having at least one bottom container fitting with a latch receiving opening in a wall thereof, said container securing means comprising: housing means for attachment to said transport carrier for underlying each bottom container fitting, latch means in the form of a bellcrank having the distal end of one arm for entering said opening in said wall of said container fitting, pin and slot means on said housing means and at the junction between the arms of said latch means pivotally and translatorily mounting said latch means on said housing means, fulcrum means on said housing means spaced from the distal end of the other arm of said latch means pivotally supporting said other arm, and spring means reacting between said housings means and the distal end of said other arm of said latch means at a location therealong spaced from said pin and slot means at a greater distance than said fulcrum means is spaced from said pin and slot means and biasing said latch means to hold said pin and slot means at one end position and being characterized by permitting displacement of said distal end of said one arm of said latch means out of the path of said container fitting in moving toward said housing means and movement of said pin and slot means away from said one position while pivoting about said fulcrum means and biasing said distal end of said one arm of said latch means about said fulcrum means into latching position in said opening in said fitting, said spring means being further characterized by being capable of holding said latch means in said latching position about said fulcrum means until sufficient force is applied to lift said container from said transport carrier whereupon said latch means is pivoted about said pin and is moved out of said latching position.
 9. Container securing means according to claim 8 wherein: said fulcrum means comprises bearing seat means on said housing means, and trunnion means on said other arm of said latch means is journaled in said bearing seat means.
 10. Container securing means according to claim 9 wherein said bearing seat means is open to permit displacement of said trunnion means therefrom when said container is lifted from said transport carrier.
 11. Container securing means according to claim 10 wherein the relation between said pin and slot means and said fulcrum means is characterized by said spring means being stressed through a relatively small extent when Said container fitting is moved into engagement with said distal end of said one arm and being stressed through a relatively great extent when said container fitting is moved out of latching engagement with said distal end of said one arm.
 12. Container securing means according to claim 8 wherein: said transport carrier has a lengthwise extending slot in the floor thereof communicating with a transversely extending opening, said housing means has a depending wall section for projecting through said slot and movement therealong to different positions to accommodate different lengths of containers, and said wall section terminates in trunnion means extending across said slot to attach said housing means to said transport carrier and to permit pivoting of said housing means into said opening in said floor to retracted position below the surface thereof.
 13. Container securing means according to claim 12 wherein said wall section and said trunnion means are spaced from said distal end of said one arm to permit said housing means to pivot in a direction to maintain the latching engagement of said latch means with said bottom container fitting when said container is moved upwardly during transport.
 14. Container securing means according to claim 12 wherein: said lengthwise extending slot has notches therealong, shear lug means depends from said housing means for insertion in one of said notches to locate said housing means at a predetermined position along said slot, and said shear lug means in the retracted position of said housing means being located out of the path of trunnion means of another housing means slidable along said slot. 